Pieces Together

Photo credit: Tom Bonner Photography

The design of Pieces Together was inspired by the idea that each part of the whole is integral, as in a jigsaw puzzle. Argent saw parallels between puzzle pieces and all the voices of a community. To hear these voices firsthand, Argent spent a week in Willowbrook where he interviewed local residents. They answered questions like, "What is your hope for your community?" and spoke about their connections to art and creativity. The interviews capture moments of personal struggle and triumph, and have been compiled and edited for viewing on this website to share these personal stories.

At the conclusion of the interviews, Argent collected three dimensional data scans of each individual's lips. The facial scans were massed together, forming one side of the sculpture that from afar looks like undulating topography. Following the curve of the entry roundabout where the artwork is located, the viewer encounters the other side where a spiral passes through one open mouth, signifying a single breath that unites all voices into one.

Classically trained craftsman worked for eight months to hand carve the intricate details. The artwork was constructed as a puzzle within a puzzle. Made of gray granite and comprised of twelve separate pieces, each was engineered to fit together seamlessly. The result is a monument to the community 18' high, 7' wide, 20' long and weighing 110 tons.

Please note that this work incorporates the inclusion of a website where the interviews and stories reside. By clicking on the explore button on the home page one is directed to the work where one can then scroll over and find who the lips belong to and hence open up another page to hear the stories from the interview.